Try cooking again

We laughed at the recent news about food stamps and fast food that suggested fast food could be cheaper than eating in. Not if you are comparing apples to apples, and not if you are paying attention to what you buy! Fast food is cheap food. You can make a lot of hamburgers with a loaf of bread and a pound of cheap ground beef, but you can only buy a couple for the same price. (What, three dollars, maybe as little as two for a quarter pounder, times four for a pound of ground beef, so eight to twelve dollars for a pound of beef and a loaf of bread? Where are these news people doing their shopping? Is it ground filet minon?) You can buy several potatoes for the price of french fries, too.

Now, if you are eating better at home than fast food fare, that's different. In some areas, garden vegetables and even canned and frozen vegetables have gone up in price, but an entire can of green beans, peas, or carrots is still normally cheaper than any dollar menu item, and both healthier and more filling. A 2 liter bottle of soda might cost more than a medium soda but probably less than a large for twice as much. An entire dozen eggs is cheaper than any fast food breakfast sandwich and contains less salt and fat. Yes, fast food is cheaper than a steak grilled at home, but hardly a fair comparison. It's not cheaper than fast food made at home and fast food restaurants for more than an occasional treat aren't a wise choice for anyone on a limited budget or anyone trying to save up for something special.